Today, Samsung held its Galaxy Unpacked event, where it announced a range of products and services, such as the Galaxy S8 and S8+, its Bixby digital assistant, a Continuum competitor called DeX, and a new Gear 360 camera.
The new 360-degree camera features a "refined and accessible design", adding a grip that should make it much easier to use. The previous model was just a sort of ball, which you could mount to a tripod.
But aside from the new design, there are also some new features. It now records True 4K video, which is a resolution of 4096x2048, at a frame rate of 24fps. The previous model could only do 3840x1920 at 30fps. Like its predecessor, you can use it to capture images at up to a 15-megapixel resolution.
You"ll also be able to live-stream your VR content at 2K resolution to platforms that include Facebook, YouTube, and Samsung VR. You"ll need a compatible smartphone, which includes the Galaxy S6 series, S7 series, Note5, and of course, either of the Galaxy S8 handsets. The company also promises "greater compatibility" with iOS, Windows, and macOS, although it didn"t go into greater detail than that.
Samsung is promising better battery life as well, despite a smaller 1160mAh battery, with up to 130 minutes of usage while recording at 2560x1280 at 30fps. It supports more storage as well, as you can use up to a 256GB micro-SD card.
The company hasn"t formally announced pricing or availability of its new 360-degree camera just yet; however, The Verge is reporting that it will cost $349 and will be available to purchase this spring.